Written Answers Friday 11 June 2010

Scottish Executive

Breastfeeding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have achieved the breastfeeding target in each of the past five years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has set a HEAT Target of increasing the population of new-born children exclusively breastfed at six to eight weeks from 26.6% in 2006-07 to 33.3% in 2010-11. Information on how health boards are performing against the HEAT Target is available from the Scotland Performs website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/partnerstories/NHSScotlandperformance/breastfeeding

  Statistics on breastfeeding by NHS board, council area and community health partnership are available on the ISD Scotland website http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/1764.html.

Central Heating

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to its boiler scrappage scheme were made by residents of North Lanarkshire.

Jim Mather: The online system logged 210 successful applications from residents of North Lanarkshire for the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage scheme. The scheme was demand-led rather than area-based and vouchers were issued on a first come, first served basis.

Central Heating

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of North Lanarkshire were successful in gaining financial support to replace their boiler through the boiler scrappage scheme.

Jim Mather: As per the answer to question S3W-33963 on 11 June 2010, 210 successful applications were received from residents of North Lanarkshire for vouchers under the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage scheme.

  Vouchers are valid for 12 weeks and it is up to the recipient to ensure their boiler is replaced and their grant in claimed in that time.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Central Heating

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to its boiler scrappage scheme were made by residents of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency.

Jim Mather: The Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage online application system captured information on an applicants local authority area only. To break it down by parliamentary constituency would be time consuming and costly.

Central Heating

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency were successful in gaining financial support to replace their boiler through the boiler scrappage scheme.

Jim Mather: As per the answer to question S3W-33965 on 11 June 2010, the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage online application system captured information on an applicant’s local authority area only. To break it down by parliamentary constituency would be time consuming and costly.

  Additionally, vouchers are valid for 12 weeks and it is up to the recipient to ensure their boiler is replaced and their grant in claimed in that time.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Central Heating

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the boiler scrappage scheme have been made, broken down by Scottish parliamentary constituency.

Jim Mather: A total of 4,602 successful applications were made to the Energy Saving Scotland boiler scrappage scheme. However, the online application system captured information on an applicants local authority area only. To break it down by parliamentary constituency would be costly and time consuming.

Early Years Framework

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with East Ayrshire Council regarding the provision of pre-five education.

Adam Ingram: Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with councils, including East Ayrshire, in various fora to discuss issues around the early years. These discussions can include the provision of pre-school education. In the light of representations from two local parents, officials have recently contacted East Ayrshire Council to discuss the Jacaranda Nursery.

Early Years Framework

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all meetings attended by the Minister for Children and Early Years relating to the provision of pre-five education.

Adam Ingram: I understand that this question relates to pre-five education in East Ayrshire. I have had no meetings in my role as Minister for Children and the Early Years specifically to discuss this issue. However, it may have been referred to in wider discussions, for example on the implementation of the Early Years Framework.

Early Years Framework

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from parents regarding the Jacaranda Nursery in East Ayrshire and what action it has taken as a result.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has to date received two letters from parents regarding the Jacaranda Nursery in East Ayrshire. However, the provision of local pre-school services is the responsibility of the local authority and it is not the Scottish Government’s role to intervene in these local decisions.

Early Years Framework

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that East Ayrshire Council’s decision to withdraw funding for places at the Jacaranda Nursery in East Ayrshire is in keeping with the principles of the Early Years Framework.

Adam Ingram: While I wish to ensure that all children have access to high quality pre-school services, decisions on local services are for local authorities to plan and deliver to meet the needs of local families. I understand that, in this case, alternative provision is being offered by the local authority.

Education

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what vocational training is available for those (a) in and (b) who have recently left special education.

Keith Brown: (a) Curriculum for Excellence is a curriculum for all young people, wherever they are learning.

  All young people are entitled to opportunities to develop skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work. This includes the development of practical skills and an understanding of the world of work.

  Those entitlements will drive the range of opportunities available to young people across all types of learning, including in special education.

  (b) Curriculum for Excellence remains the overarching framework for learning for those young people who have left special education. The Get Ready for Work programme provides a national work-based training framework for 16 to 19-year-olds who require tailored support in order to access employment. The focus of this intervention is on offering generic work skills rather than training for specific employment sectors and is tailored to meet the needs of the individual, including those who have left special education, and reflect local economic drivers.

  In addition, some vocational courses are available at further education colleges which have been designed specifically for young people who have recently left special education.

Employment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives it is undertaking to encourage individuals who have been on sick leave to return to work through phased or amended duties.

John Swinney: HR advisors work closely with staff who have been on extended sick leave, to determine what support they require to return to work. Some staff are encouraged to return to work on a phased basis, with reduced workloads. This can reduce the overall time that staff are absent from work. Return to work plans give staff and line managers clear information on expectations during this period. Staff on sick leave are offered the services of the staff welfare officer and the Employee Assistance Programme, as well as support from HR.

Employment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to employers or employees regarding fit notes, in particular the differences between fit notes and sick notes, which they replaced in April 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Med 3 medical certificate, commonly known as the fit note, is a document produced by the Department for Work and Pensions and is a matter reserved to the UK Government.

  The DWP have issued guidance for employers and employees as well as healthcare professionals across the UK, which covers what has changed and why.

  Further guidance and support is available through the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives advice line and website. It provides advice and guidance for employers who may have staff presenting with a fit note and for employees who are issued with a fit note by their doctor.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the impact that fit notes have on individuals returning to work.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Department for Work and Pensions will carry out an evaluation of the fit note and the impact it has on individuals returning to work. The Scottish Government will support this evaluation through the cross-government Health, Work and Wellbeing strategy. The evaluation will explore the experiences and views of the fit note from the perspective of doctors, individuals and employers.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to employers regarding pay regulations and fulfilment of contracts for individuals who have been advised by their doctor through a fit note that they might be able to undertake certain duties at work.

Nicola Sturgeon: Advice provided on a fit note is between the issuing doctor and their patient. The Department for Work and Pensions has issued guidance for employers through various channels such as ACAS, Business Link and HMRC regarding the implications that the fit note may have in relation to duties and obligations.

  Further guidance and support is available through the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives advice line and website. It provides advice and guidance for employers who may have staff presenting with a fit note stating that they may be able to undertake certain duties.

Equalities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the report that was published jointly by the British Council Scotland and the Hansard Society, Has Devolution Delivered for Women?, how it will encourage and support the representation of women in the Scottish Parliament and in local authorities.

Alex Neil: We welcome the report Has Devolution Delivered for Women? and anything which raises the importance of women’s representation in politics.

  Scottish Government is supportive of increasing women’s involvement in politics at all levels. We fund organisations, such as the Scottish Women’s Convention and Engender, to encourage and empower a diverse range of women to become involved in the decision-making that impacts on their lives. They also work towards equal representation of women in government and public life.

  Ministers regularly promote the fact that, since devolution with increased numbers of women in the Scottish Parliament, issues of particular concern to women, such as violence against women, have risen in profile. They also warn against complacency because gains can be lost.

  Political parties have themselves the ability to take steps to increase women’s representation in elected bodies such as the Scottish Parliament and local councils. For example, the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 ensures that single sex shortlists are permissible, and section 106 of the Equality Act 2010 will, when commenced, allow the UK Government to require political parties to publish information on the diversity of their candidates at Scottish Parliament elections.

  Political parties will have different approaches to the representation of women and may not all agree with taking specific measures to address under-representation. However, the current provision enables action to be taken, but does not require it of any political party.

Finance

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recommendations the Council of Economic Advisers has made to the Scottish Government; how many it agrees with, and how many it has implemented.

John Swinney: The recommendations the Council of Economic Advisers has made to the Scottish Government are listed in the Council’s Annual Reports; the first published in December 2008, and second in December 2009.

  The Scottish Government published a response to each Annual Report in January 2009 and February 2010 respectively, and also published a progress report on the recommendations made in the First Annual Report in February 2010.

  All of the above can be accessed on the Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/Council-Economic-Advisers/Annual-Reports.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how patients can judge the performance of healthcare providers.

Nicola Sturgeon: Patients can judge the performance of NHS boards through a variety of means. The NHSScotland section of the Scotland Performs website provides NHS board-level data against the HEAT targets. In addition, ISD (www.isdscotland.org) provide performance information on a wide range of topics, and Health Protection Scotland (www.hps.scot.nhs.uk) provide performance information on healthcare associated infection (HAI).

  www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/partnerstories/NHSScotlandperformance.

  The public are also able to attend NHS board annual reviews, at which ministers hold the health board to account for the performance of the board. The boards’ self assessments of performance used in annual reviews are available from their websites.

  Another source of performance information is directly from the NHS boards: board papers, are published on the boards’ websites and include their monthly HAI reports.

Homecoming Scotland

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to abandoning plans for further Homecoming events in view of any losses and the need to curb expenditure.

Jim Mather: No consideration has been given to abandoning plans for further Homecoming events. On 25 May the independent evaluation of Homecoming Scotland 2009 was published by the leading economic and social development consultancy, EKOS. This research showed that Homecoming Scotland 2009 had been a huge success, attracting 95,000 additional visitors to Scotland and generating £53.7 million in additional tourism revenue for Scotland, exceeding the £44 million target by 22 percent. Given the success of last year’s celebrations it makes strong economic sense to repeat the concept and a second Year of Homecoming will be staged in 2014, in the year that Scotland hosts the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup and that marks the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

Housing

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33490 by Alex Neil on 12 May 2010, what the actual budget is for the Rural Homes for Rent grant scheme in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 and how many applications were (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful.

Alex Neil: The budget for the Rural Homes for Rent grant scheme in 2010-11 is £3.6 million. Although the Affordable Housing Investment Programme budget for next financial year has not yet been set, it is intended to provide the balance of funding amounting to £1.3 million during 2011-12.

  Full details of the pilot scheme, including applications received and those projects being supported, have been published on the Scottish Government’s website at: 

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-environment/Housing/investment/grants/ruralhomesforrent/ruralhomesforrent.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to help first-time house buyers in 2010-11.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is planning to spend £48.8 million in 2010-11 to continue helping first time buyers in particular to access home ownership through the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT). LIFT provides support through the following low-cost home ownership schemes, which are predominantly targeted at first time buyers on low to moderate incomes:

  the New Supply Shared Equity scheme 

  the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot scheme

  the shared ownership scheme

  GRO grants for owner occupation (provided through private developers)

  Rural Home Ownership Grants.

  As well as funding housing associations to provide new homes, the New Supply Shared Equity scheme now also includes a new innovative trial being funded in partnership with private developers.

  In addition, the Scottish Government has pressed the UK Government to ensure that an exemption from stamp duty land tax on properties bought for less than £250,000 was implemented to help first time buyers to purchase a home.

  An evaluation of the main LIFT schemes is being carried out this year to help inform how support for first-time buyers should best be targeted in future.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new applicants will be allowed to apply for the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot scheme in 2010-11.

Alex Neil: The Open Market Shared Equity Pilot (OMSEP) was temporarily expanded across Scotland in March 2009 for a one year period. The pilot has achieved its aim of helping around 1500 people access home ownership. High demand for OMSEP in 2009-10 meant that a number of people who had submitted an application form were unable to access the scheme. Scottish ministers have allocated £20 million in 2010-11 to help around 650 of these first time buyers access home ownership in 2010-11. No new application forms are currently being issued.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the mortgage to shared equity scheme for 2010-11.

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the mortgage to rent scheme for 2010-11.

Alex Neil: £20 million has been allocated to the Home Owners’ Support Fund (HOSF) for 2010-11.

  The HOSF covers both the Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme and the Mortgage to Rent scheme.

Kinship Care

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33425 by Adam Ingram on 12 May 2010, what the date for implementation will be of the Department of Work and Pensions intention to modify UK benefits legislation to give a full rather than a partial disregard to kinship carers in receipt of a kinship care allowance.

Adam Ingram: The timing of proposed changes to UK tax and benefits legislation is a reserved matter and we will continue to press the UK Government to recognise the issues for Scottish kinship carers.

  Details of Income Tax exemptions and Income Tax relief for kinship carers can be found on the HMRC website at:

  http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2010/bn37.pdf.

  http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2009/pbrn22.pdf.

  Details of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit disregard for kinship carers can be found on the DWP website at:

  http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2010/march-2010/dwp059-10-250310.shtml/.

  Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33426 by Adam Ingram on 12 May 2010, what the date is for the planned consultation meeting in which kinship carers will be involved.

Adam Ingram: A previously planned meeting due to take place in mid June has been postponed in order that the Scottish Government and COSLA can work together over the summer. We will be engaging further with stakeholders including kinship carers as the work progresses.

NHS Hospitals

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the accident and emergency unit at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.

Nicola Sturgeon: Dr Gray’s Hospital has a level 2 accident and emergency unit.

NHS Staff

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any plans to change the status of the accident and emergency unit at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin and, if so, what the implications would be of any change.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Grampian has confirmed that it has no plans to change the status of the Accident and Emergency Unit at Dr Gray’s Hospital. It will maintain a service that is safe, efficient and sustainable for the people that it serves in Grampian and beyond.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses with a BA or BA (Hons) in nursing are employed by NHS Grampian in band (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3, (d) 4 and (e) 5 nursing posts.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally available.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many band 5 nurses were employed by NHS Grampian on 1 April (a) 2010, (b) 2009, (c) 2008, (d) 2007, (e) 2006 and (f) 2005.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually on 30 September. The number of band 5 nurses employed by NHS Grampian at 30 September for the years 2007 to 2009 are presented in the following table. Figures for 30 September 2010 will be published in December 2010.

  Band 5 Nursing Staff Employed by NHS Grampian: at 30 September

  

Year
Head Count


2009
2,830


2008
2,896


2007
2,617



  Source: Scottish Workforce Information Standard System.

  Prior to 2007, NHS Workforce Information was published based on the Whitley pay structure. For this reason, it is not possible to compare the Whitley staff in post nurse information to AfC bandings. Whitley nurse information for the years 2005-06 is available at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=WFE06_HB_REG.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses employed by NHS Grampian in band 5 posts are in part-time posts.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually on 30 September. As at 30 September 2009 there were 1,337 (head count) nurses employed by NHS Grampian in part-time band 5 posts.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses employed by NHS Grampian in band 5 posts are in full-time posts.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually on 30 September. As at 30 September 2009 there were 1,493 (head count) nurses employed by NHS Grampian in whole-time band 5 posts.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses employed by NHS Grampian in band 5 posts are in (a) permanent and (b) temporary posts.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually on 30 September. As at 30 September 2009 there were 2672 (head count) nurses employed by NHS Grampian in permanent band 5 posts. The number of temporary nurses employed is not collected. However, the number in fixed term posts was 158.

  Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many band 5 nurses employed by NHS Grampian are on fixed-term contracts.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually on 30 September. As at 30 September 2009 there were, 158 (head count) band 5 nurses employed by NHS Grampian on fixed-term contracts.

  Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student (a) nurses and (b) midwives are due to qualify in 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: Higher education institutions are currently being asked to provide estimates of the number of students likely to qualify in 2010. That information is not yet available.

  Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student (a) nurses and (b) midwives are due to qualify at the end of the 2010-11 academic year.

Nicola Sturgeon: Higher education institutions are currently being asked to provide estimates of the number of students likely to qualify at the end of the 2010-11 academic year. That information is not yet available.

  Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the potential impact on the job prospects of student nurses and midwives of the estimated 1,523 reduction in whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery posts contained in the NHS workforce projections.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are liaising with all NHS boards who have been asked to provide information on the recruitment of newly qualified Nurses and Midwives to vacant posts created through staff turnover.

  We have in place a national One Year Job Guarantee Scheme, which is intended to ensure that every newly qualified nurse and midwife receives the offer of a job either through their own means or with assistance.

  Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the 2010-11 student intake numbers are for (a) nursing and (b) midwifery.

Nicola Sturgeon: Higher education institutions have been asked to recruit 2,876 student nurses and 184 student midwives in 2010-11. Exact intake numbers will not be known until after the second intake in March 2011.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether bariatric surgery will be included or excluded from the waiting times guarantee of 18 weeks referral for treatment.

Nicola Sturgeon: Bariatric surgery is included in the 18 weeks referral to treatment target. However, patients should be referred to a weight management programme and not directly to surgery. Bariatric surgery should not be undertaken until other interventions have been considered.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31800 by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 March 2010, what it means by near future and whether it considers that there has been an unacceptable delay in the publication of the findings of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA).

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33780 on 1 June 2010, which provides an update of the work of Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) relating to its remote and rural review. All answers to written parliamentary questions can be found on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: 

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The Scottish Government does not consider there to have been an unacceptable delay in the publishing of TAGRA’s findings. TAGRA has not yet completed its report, and its findings will be published once it has done so. The evidence that has been viewed by TAGRA as part of its research is published on its website at http://www.tagra.scot.nhs.uk/meetingpapers.html, alongside the minutes from its meetings, as part of its commitment to having a fair and transparent formula.

  Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance on the selling of NHS land and buildings.

Nicola Sturgeon: Guidance and those mandatory procedures which must be followed by NHSScotland bodies are contained within the NHSScotland Property Transactions Handbook which was issued to NHSScotland on 26 February 2001 under cover of NHS Health Department Letter HDL(2001)15. Although specific to NHSScotland bodies, the guidance and mandatory procedures reflect those contained within the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

  The NHSScotland Property Transactions Handbook is currently being reviewed and it is expected the revised edition will be available to NHSScotland later this year.

  Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance or advice on the use of disused NHS land or buildings.

Nicola Sturgeon: Guidance and those mandatory procedures which must be followed by NHSScotland bodies are contained within the NHSScotland Property Transactions Handbook which was issued to NHSScotland bodies on 26 February 2001 under cover of NHS Health Department Letter HDL(2001)15. Although specific to NHSScotland bodies, the guidance and mandatory procedures reflect those contained within the Scottish Public Finance Manual, including that section on the Disposal of Tangible Fixed Assets, which are predominantly real property assets.

  In terms of this guidance, the constituent parts of the Scottish Government including Executive Agencies, must keep their asset portfolios under constant review with a view to disposing of surplus assets, i.e. property deemed non-essential in the context of not required for operational purposes in the medium to long-term, as quickly as possible.

  Before selling on the open market, any surplus property must be offered to other parts of Scottish Government and executive agencies under what are known as "trawl procedures". These procedures ensure that all relevant business areas within Scottish Government are not required to compete on the open market for land already owned by Scottish ministers.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-33744, S3W-33745, S3W-33747, S3W-33748, S3W-33749, S3W-33752, S3W-33756, S3W-33757, S3W-33758 and S3W-33759 by Kenny MacAskill on 1 June 2010, whether it will provide answers to these questions that specifically address the issues raised.

Kenny MacAskill: In my answer to question S3W-33743 on 1 June 2010, I made clear that the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to delivering 1,000 additional police officers in our communities by April 2011. The Scottish Government is providing the funding and I expect chief constables to continue to deliver on that commitment. At 31 March 2010 there were 17,409 police officers in Scotland.

  I also made clear in my statement to Parliament on 19 May 2010 that the extra funding provided specifically to recruit 1,000 extra officers should not be used for any other purpose. This message was conveyed to the chief constables when I met them on 18 January 2010, supported by civil servants. The President of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, Chief Constable Pat Shearer, has made it clear in his own statement issued on 18 May 2010 that:

  "Civil servants acting in their official capacity and in support of the Minister, advised that the funding had been made available specifically for the purpose of enhancing front line policing services."

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Public Bodies

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations (quangos) have been wound up since May 2007; what the total net savings have been; what plans there are to reduce expenditure further on quangos, and what relevant savings are projected.

John Swinney: Since May 2007 the number of National Devolved Public Bodies has reduced from 199 to 162 and plans are in place to reduce the number further to around 120 by April 2011.

  Our Simplification Programme will deliver estimated savings of £123 million over the period 2008-13 and around £38 million per annum thereafter.

  Details of the changes to the public bodies landscape are published in the Simplification Programme Tracker available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/simplification-programme/SimplificationTracker.

Renewable Energy

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has received from the UK Government regarding release of funds in relation to the Fossil Fuel Levy.

Jim Mather: The UK Government’s programme for government includes a commitment to "review the control and use of accumulated and future revenues from the Fossil Fuel Levy in Scotland."

  These funds could provide new opportunities to help make Scotland a low carbon leader, and the Scottish Government is working with UK Government ministers and officials to ensure that the levy is released for investment in renewable energy in a way that is additional to the Scottish budget

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Constituency Offices

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action is being taken to protect MSPs and staff in their constituency offices and at surgeries in local communities.

Alex Fergusson: Members are issued with a booklet immediately following each Scottish Parliament Election. The booklet is currently being updated in preparation for the election in 2011. It gives advice on personal security and other information relating to members’ constituency offices.

  In addition, advice is available from the Parliament’s Head of Security and local police.

  If a member has particular concerns then they should contact the Head of Security.